Coronavirus updates: Fauci sets record straight on masks after debate

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says President Donald Trump's claims on Fauci's stance on masks were "taken out of context" at Tuesday's presidential debate.

During the debate Trump claimed Fauci initially said "masks are not good. Then he changed his mind."

When Democratic nominee Joe Biden said if all Americans wore masks, and social-distanced between now and January, 100,000 lives could be saved, Trump responded, "Dr. Fauci said the opposite."

Setting the record straight, Fauci told ABC News' "Start Here" podcast, "Very early on in the pandemic … there was a shortage of PPE and masks for health care providers who needed them desperately since they were putting their lives and their safety on the line every day. So the feeling was that people who were wanting to have masks in the community, namely just people out in the street, might be hoarding masks and making the shortage of masks even greater. In that context, we said that we did not recommend masks."

In the weeks that followed, Fauci said, "it became clear that they worked. Number two: it became clear that cloth coverings worked as well as surgical masks, so the idea of a shortage of masks that would take it away from those who really need it was no longer there because anybody could get a mask."

Then, as scientists learned more from the data available, Fauci said they learned: "One: that about 40-45% of all the infections were among individuals who had no symptoms, namely asymptomatic infection. No. 2: it became clear that transmissions, a substantial proportion of them, are transmitted by people without symptoms. So then all of a sudden, it became clear that you would not know if you were infected or if the person that you were dealing with was infected. And at that point, it became clear that A: no shortage of masks, B: data now prove that masks work and 3: there clearly is asymptomatic transmission."

"At that point, which is now months and months ago, I have been on the airways, on the radio, on TV, begging people to wear masks. And I keep talking in the context of wear a mask, keep physical distance, avoid crowds, wash your hands and do things more outdoors versus indoors," Fauci said. "The other thing that became clear is, in fact, that there was likely a degree of aerosol transmission which make it even more compelling to wear a mask. So anybody who has been listening to me over the last several months know that a conversation does not go by where I do not strongly recommend that people wear masks."

ABC News' Brad Mielke and David Rind contributed to this report.

Indoor dining begins in New York City on Wednesday, and Mayor Bill de Blasio said the nine zip codes in Brooklyn and Queens seeing upticks in cases will be the focus of city health inspectors.

"We will be looking carefully to make sure every restaurant is following the rules," the mayor said. "If we see the kinds of violations that create problems -- like employees not wearing a mask or a violation of the 25% limit, or alcohol being consumed at a bar -- those are the kind of things that will lead to immediate summonses."

“We certainly don’t want to see restaurants shut down, but we need to be very rigorous everywhere in the city, particularly in those zip codes,” de Blasio said.

On Wednesday 354 new daily COVID-19 cases were reported in the city and 87 people were admitted to hospitals.

New York City’s daily positive test rate in the last 24 hours stands at .94%. The seven-day rolling average positivity rate is at 1.46%.

ABC News’ Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.

Canada's daily COVID-19 case count has reached a level not seen since the peak of daily cases in April, Canada's chief public-health official Dr. Theresa Tam said on Wednesday.

"This increases the latest 7-day average to 1,471 cases reported daily across Canada," Tam tweeted.

Most of the cases now are among younger people, she said.

Hospitalizations have been rising over the last few weeks in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, she said.

"Things have escalated quickly and will escalate further unless we work together to #SlowtheSpread," Tam warned.

Canada has over 159,000 people diagnosed with COVID-19. At least 9,340 people in the country have died, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

ABC News’ Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.

The incidence rates of the novel coronavirus in Paris, Lyon and Lille have exceeded the threshold of 250 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants set by the government.

In France, a region can be placed on maximum alert when the incidence rate of the virus -- the number of new positive cases -- is greater than 250 per 100,000 inhabitants over the last seven days in the general population and over 100 for people over 60. More than 30% of intensive care beds must also be occupied by COVID-19 patients.

Paris, Lyon and Lille have now reached several of these milestones meaning the cities could be placed on "maximum alert" and have new government restrictions placed on them.

As of Tuesday, France has reported 590,021 cases of coronavirus and 31,908 deaths.

France is attempting to revive its economy while simultaneously trying to curb a steady climb in infections which spread during the summer months.

ABC News' Ibtissem Guenfoud contributed to this report.